


Brothers

by SansyFresh



Series: Fresh's Babble Collection [37]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Bad Bro AU, Gen, Graphic injuries, Hurt/Comfort, LV Issues, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-22
Updated: 2018-06-22
Packaged: 2019-05-26 23:29:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15011765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SansyFresh/pseuds/SansyFresh
Summary: He would never have to fear him again. They would make sure of it.





	Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> A commission written for @moosekleenex on Tumblr!
> 
> I hope you enjoy :D

They’d known from the first time they’d met that something was off with the brothers. Razz was a little too proud, a little too defensive. Slim was a little too cowed, almost timid in his brother’s presence. Slim acted much more lively when Razz wasn’t around, as if he could breathe easier when it was just him and the others. Red had kept track of the differences; he and Edge would always discuss it after one of their gatherings. 

 

The first theory was that Razz was outright abusive. He didn’t dare do anything while with the others (Papyrus would have never stood for it and  _ they  _ would have immediately done something about it), but Slim would show up with fresh wounds on occasion that held no explanation, marrow dripping from his bones as he smiled placidly through clenched teeth. They asked, once. Outright and pointblank, if he needed a place to stay.

 

His only answer was an empty, questioning stare; it was filled with anger (rage, really) as soon as he understood what it was they were asking. Then he’d left, bandages left dangling from his bones. They hadn’t seen him for months after that, and hadn’t ever asked again.

 

Red settled back into the couch, ignoring the way the uneven lumps made him sit at an awkward angle. His brother was in the kitchen, making homemade ravioli with Slim at his side, watching carefully. Ever since Boss had found out that their shared protection project had a habit of eating the shit raw from a can, he’d made it a point to show Slim how to make it the real way. Which would be fine if he didn’t do it every other time the guy came over.

 

Snorting to himself as Slim poked his head out from the kitchen, he made a vague questioning gesture with his hand. Slim smiled, looked back to the kitchen, then signed,  _ I added licorice. See if he notices. _

 

Red slapped his hand to his face. Of course Boss would notice, it was a matter of when, not if. Shaking his head, he gave Slim a pitying look.  _ I knew you well, bro. _

 

Slim rolled his eyes then popped back into the kitchen. Red grinned, then, after a moment, frowned. Slim would be going home after supper. He always did, always refusing to stay the night or even for a drink. Red’s theory was that Razz (bastard didn’t deserve a nickname, but he most assuredly didn’t deserve the name Sans) would do something regrettable if Slim showed up drunk or, worse, didn’t show up until the next day. 

 

The two of them never pushed him on it. Just calmly offering each time he came over if he’d like to stay or have a drink. And when he refused Red would see him to the machine, give him a hug, and send him through, back to a world that didn’t deserve him. 

 

Red huffed, rubbing at his aching scar as he tried his hardest not to hate everything. It wasn’t fair, he knew it would never be fair, but that didn’t make it any easier to swallow. 

 

“Come in here, whelp! Dinner’s done!” Edge called from the kitchen, the shadows of the two of them moving about the room passing over the light coming from the kitchen door. Red huffed a laugh, scratching at his socket before hauling himself off the couch and to his feet. “‘m comin’ boss!” Might as well spend the time they had with him as richly as they were currently able.

 

~.~

 

Red stepped down the wooden stairs, ignoring the creaking and waves of dust that fell from each footfall. Slim followed close behind, ducking under the low hanging board that nearly always clocked Boss when he was coming down here in a hurry. Moving across the dusty concrete floor and around the random boxes Boss kept down here, Red clicked the button that turned the machine on from sleep mode. There was a loud whirring, a few clicks and beeps as the machine warmed up, then finally the readout panel glowed a bright green, signalling that it was ready.

 

Slim stepped forward, giving Red a side-armed hug and a smile before stepping inside the open compartment, giving a goofy wave as the door slid shut. Red gave the door a middle finger even as he chuckled, hitting the series of commands that would send Slim back to his universe. He ignored the way his soul constricted at the thought of Slim going back to that asshole, turning back to the stairs once the whirring stopped and the machine was back in sleep mode. 

 

Popping upstairs, he rubbed at his sternum as he headed to his room, trying to will away the uneasy feeling that was gnawing at his soul. Boss would be cleaning the rest of the night, worried down to his marrow that something would happen while they weren’t there, that Slim would get hurt and wouldn’t be able to make it over this time. 

 

Kicking his door open, he flopped on his mattress, kicking his shoes off and closing his eyes as he continued rubbing at his sternum. His soul often left him feeling uneasy after one of these visits, the time spent with what may as well have been their surrogate brother tainted by what came after. Turning on his side, he shoved the nearest pillow under his head, trying his hardest to ignore the feeling and fall asleep.

 

Instead of lessening, as it usually did, it grew stronger, leaving an acrid taste in the back of his mouth as it pounded in what he could only attribute to fear and anger. Something was wrong. Something was so very wrong. Ripping up and off the bed, Red stormed downstairs, tearing around the corner and staring wide eyed at his brother. Boss stared back, hand clutching his chest. The two of them stared at each other, then, without a word, turned and moved in unison towards the door that lead to the basement. 

 

Boss lead the way, Red hurrying behind with a panic he was completely unaccustomed to. Hitting the buttons to the machine, Red tapped his fingers restlessly against the readout as he waited for the stupid thing to finally ready up. Once it did he typed in the coordinates, the number of passengers, then directed Boss to get inside. Once he had Red hit a final button then jumped in himself, sockets wide as the door shut and the darkness took hold. 

 

There was a loud whirring, an enormous amount of noise, before it finally died down and the machine beeped once more. Red hit the door release, stepping out and moving up the stairs to the house, Boss right behind him. It was silent inside, the rooms dark, no movement upstairs and no indication that anyone was even home. A quick pop upstairs confirmed it, Red moving quickly from bedroom to bedroom and growling as each came up empty.

 

Boss stood at the front door, arms crossed and foot tapping, the movements betraying his own anxiety on the matter. Holding out his hand as Red came back down, Red took it, closing his eyes and taking a shortcut out to the sentry stations. 

 

The first sensation was the sickening smell of spilt marrow and dust, the snow around them littered with the bright red mix. There were trees, shattered and broken, limbs covering the ground. They only had eyes for the body laying in the snow, however, and the short skeleton that stood over it. Razz was breathing erratically, hands clenching and unclenching into fists, fangs bared as he snarled wordlessly at the unmoving lump that seemed to be Slim. 

 

Red felt bile rise up in his throat, an unholy mixture of rage and despair roiling through his soul as he let out a blood curdling howl. Razz spun on his heels, and the instant the two fell brothers got a good look at him it was obvious what had happened. His eyelights were so small they were nearly gone, his normal, angry, uninterested expression lost in a sea of rage and nearly feral aggression. 

 

Edge took a step forward, Razz’s eyelights snapping to him as he growled menacingly. Edge glanced back and Red nodded, popping out of the clearing. Showing back up just on the other side of the trees, he moved out, carefully picking Slim up with his magic and moving him far from the current battle of their brothers, one high on LV, the other mourning what might be the loss of the surrogate brother. He tried his hardest to ignore the fight, only picking up on howls of pain from Razz and the occasional ear splitting sound of a blaster firing. Focusing, he set Slim on the snow, wincing at the pool of red that quickly spread out from his body into the snow. 

 

Unzipping his jacket, Red’s hand shot up to his mouth to prevent him from losing any magic. Slim’s rib cage was a mess, bones shattered, twisted, and barely hanging on. His soul was beating slowly, unevenly. Hands shaking, Red called up what little healing magic he had, sealing up the worst breaks and letting whatever couldn’t be saved dust between his fingers. Once the pool of marrow and magic stopped spreading, Red took a breath, letting it out slowly as he rezipped Slim’s jacket.

 

It was then that he realized it had gone silent behind him, the only sound his own heavy breathing. Turning wildly, he nearly collapsed as he saw his brother, nudging a downed Razz with his boot. Flopping backwards, he raised his hand, middle finger proudly erected. 

 

“Next time! Let me know ya won tha fight, Boss!”

 

There was a snort of amusement as Edge walked over, dragging Razz along with him. Pushing himself up into a sitting position, Red glared at the unconscious asshole that had caused this whole mess. They’d leave him at the house. He’d heal up fine in a day or so, and none of the guard here would dare let anything happen to him as he did. Slim though…

 

Standing, he picked Slim up with his magic, making him light enough to carry in his arms. Letting him curl close to the warmth he put off, Red turned and began the walk back to the house, Edge right on his tailbone.

 

~.~

 

Red sat by the edge of the bed, counting the steps as Boss headed from the now closed front door to the kitchen, then back to the living room and up the stairs. Fifteen steps total, if he’d actually cared enough to keep count. His hands held one of Slim’s between them, his healing magic pulsing every couple seconds. He’d kept it going for a good half hour today, and though he was nearing his last dregs (he’d have to eat something soon to replenish or he’d be out as well), Slim was already looking better. 

 

Edge entered the room, taking the other chair and sitting in it backwards, like the cool badass he was. Red gave him a side eye.

 

“What’d that asshole want.”

 

Edge sighed, reaching out and taking Slim’s hand from his own, setting it gently on the bed and producing a mini shortcake from his inventory. Handing it over, he settled onto the chair. “He wanted to tell his brother that he was sorry. That he was sorry for everything. He even brought a few of his stocked caramel bottles, old brew.”

 

Red whistled lowly. “Did he actually say all that?” He snorted as Edge gave him a side glance. 

 

“Not in so many words. I told him he could return when Slim was...better.” He paused, grimacing darkly. “If I ever tell him.”

 

Red nodded. There was no way they could let Slim return, not when he’d nearly died. If worst came to worst they’d have the two brothers come here where they could keep an eye on Razz. But there would be no letting Slim return to Swapfell. 

 

The two of them watched as Slim’s soul beat slowly, evenly in his chest, a clear sign that he was alive, and wasn’t going anywhere. As far as they were concerned, he would never have to fear his brother again.


End file.
